|
Wax cylinders –
77s, 33s, 45, reel-to-reel, eight track, cassette, CD, iPod.
Local and live,
local and some recordings, local and mostly recordings, Local and
satellite, national and live.
Terrestrial signal
and AM, terrestrial signal and AM/FM, terrestrial signal and FM,
terrestrial signal and Internet stream, Internet stream.
As broadcast
technicians we live in a world of change. Delivery methods shift
from reel to reel to satellite to Internet and FTP, and we are
constantly on guard for what’s next.
Connections shift
from letters and phone to email and social media. A web presence
becomes essential and interactivity is as needed in broadcasting as
breathing is for humankind.
I am in awe of the
changes in radio in my 25 plus years in broadcasting and I can’t
imagine stepping away from broadcasting and then coming back. I
think it would be very difficult to get back up to speed.
However, that exact
scenario seems to be happening more often than you may realize. I’ve
had the opportunity to visit with many who were once involved in
Christian radio, left and then felt a tug to get back into ministry.
One of those people
is Jay Johnson. I had the honor of working with Jay for the last
couple of years and he’s recently moved to our Abilene office. He
expresses very well what it is like to leave and then come back.
“A few years ago I
read a book by John Eldredge called "Wild at Heart" that caused some
introspection. While reading it, I kept wondering if maybe I should
head in another career direction. I have worked in radio since 1972
and specifically in Christian radio since 1984 but this book made me
wonder if God had something else in mind for me.
“At the end of 2006
I resigned from my position with Family Life Radio in Tucson, AZ
without any idea of what I was going to do. I worked with H&R Block
for about two months before landing a job with Westwood One at their
Metro Networks newsroom in Phoenix. They had just started a new
Internet division and I was hired as their Senior Web News Editor.
Looking back in hindsight, God used this 15-month stint to create
within me a strong desire to return to Christian radio and
appreciate what I once had.
“God used that
hiatus from Christian radio to give me a renewed vision and a fresh
perspective. Obviously He wanted to bring back the zeal that I had
when I first chose radio as a career… Everything happens for a
reason and it's always according to His schedule.”
I am surprised at
how many people I encounter who long for the ability to minister
again through Christian radio. While we may take what we do for
granted and feel as if we may be overwhelmed with all the change and
demands there are those who find the idea of a return to Christian
radio a passionate pursuit.
One of our FCB
forum members has a dream of starting a new radio station on the
East Coast, another is looking to get back into broadcasting and
engineering. I spent time on the phone recently with a highly
qualified candidate who hasn’t been in radio for 10 years.
We may need to
change how we do things in Christian radio, but the good news is
there remains a heart for radio as a vehicle for ministry. There is
a passion for the potential of Christian radio. There is a desire to
serve God with words fitly spoken.
A pastor friend of
mine named Jake once told me that I had one of the largest
congregations in the region. More people tuned into the audio signal
of the station I worked at than attended any single church. That has
always affected what I say and how I prepare my heart for any given
day’s service.
For those of us in
the trench every day it’s great to be reminded that ‘renewed vision’
and ‘fresh perspective’ are needed for those that often pay more
attention to the trees than the forest. Some of that perspective
might come from those who have been away from the mic for a while.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glenn
Hascall is station manager for KHYM and moderator of the Fellowship
of Christian Broadcasters email and Facebook forum. Winner of
multiple broadcasting awards including a Gold Addy, Telly Finalist
for documentary work as well as multiple state awards.
|
